Apparatus for unloading cargo through a hatchway



1951 G. HURST 2,563,651

AFPARATUS FOR UNLOADING CARGO THROUGH A HATCHWAY Filed Oct. 10, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Izwenfofl: W i W G. L. HURST 2,563,651

APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING CARGO THROUGH A HATCHWAY Aug. 7, 1951 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 10, 1946 All I U 9 G. L. HURST 2,563,651

APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING CARGO THROUGH A HATCHWAY Aug. 7, 1951 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 10, 1946 AEPARATUS FOR UNLOADING CARGO THROUGH A HATCHWAY Filed Oct. 10, 1946 G. L. HURST" Aug. 7, 1951 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 OOOOO lllldlllllllll'llllll 'Illld (III. I'IIIIIIIIII'll"IIIII'IIIIII'IIIIIIIIIIIIII'IIA Aug. 7, 1951 G, u s-r 2,563,651

APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING CARGO THROUGH A HATCHWAY Filed Oct. 10, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet '7 Aug. 7, 1951 u s-r 2,563,651

APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING CARGO THROUGH A HATCHWAY Filed Oct. 10, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Aug. 7, 1951 s. HURST 2,563,651

APPARATUS FOR UNLQADING CARGO THROUGH A HATCHWAY Filed Oct. 10, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet :9

Patented Aug. 7, 1951 APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING CARGO THROUGH A HATCHWAY Gilchrist L. Hurst, South Weymouth, Mass.

Application October 10, 1946, Serial No. 702,396

3 Claims.

My present invention is a novel and improved method of handling articles, particularly bulky or heavy material through a port or hatchway, such as in unloading cargo from a vessel.

In the handling of materials and cargo which are stowed within a vessel, it is customary to have a hatch, or hatches, amidships of the vessel and the cargo is stowed underneath the deck, or decks, at each side and forward and aft of the hatchways, through a selective one of which hatchways the cargo must be loaded and unloaded. In unloading particularly, it has heretofore been customary to move the articles from underneath the main deck by hand and/or by trucks, levers, or otherwise, to substantially the center of the hatchway. Furthermore, the hoisting rope had to be guided by hand to keep the load being handled from catching on the combing.

Such moving of the cargo to substantially the center of the hatchway required a considerable crew or hands and involved hard, heavy labor and a substantial time element; but in my improved method and apparatus for such work, as shown in my prior and copending application Ser. No. 538,386, filed June 2, 1944, now Patent No. 2,448,373, dated August 31, 1948, I have illustrated, described, and claimed certain automatic methods for carrying the cargo to be spotted under the hatchway in substantially a central position.

My present invention may be, and preferably is, utilized in connection with the apparatus of my said prior application, although I can utilize the present invention independently thereof, and certain features of my present method and apparatus can be utilized on ships, storage warehouses, or under other conditions where handling goods through a hatchway by a hoisting rope is essential.

In my present invention, I have developed novel and efficient automatic rope-centering instrumentalities which enable the hoisting rope to be centered through the hatchway and insure clearance of the articles, material, or cargo being hoisted therethrough. This is a most important feature as, heretofore, guide ropes or guys have been employed to handle and steady the article being hoisted through a hatchway, requiring, in the case of a heavy or bulky bundle, a number of stevedores to hold, guide, and steady these ropes, hauling in and slacking them gradually to insure centering of the load being hoisted and to prevent it catching under the combing of the hatchway, to the consequent damage of the articles, hatchway, or even causing breaking of the hoisting rope and consequent injury or damage to the operators as well as the articles involved, or even to the ship. The hoisting rope itself had to be guided by hand, as above noted.

Usually large bulky boxes, crates, or the like are handled individually but a large number of smaller articles are generally assembled in a hoisting net which is arranged to be engaged by the hook of the hoistin rope. Such a hoisting rope, ordinarily a wire of sufficient strength for the heaviest cargo to be handled, is led through a sheave or pulley at the end of the hoisting boom or gaff, which latter is positioned with the hoisting pulley centered over the hatchway. After the articles are hoisted clear of the hatchway, the boom or gaff is then swung over to one side of the vessel, dock, or lighter for lowering and unloading.

This operation requires time and skill and, by prior methods, involves manual guiding of the articles during hoisting as well as afterward for unloading and, furthermore, involves the pulling or shifting of the gaff or boom from its position above the center of the hatchway off to an alignment with the unloading platform, Wharf, or spot.

My present invention largely obviates the dimculties above briefly outlined, and by means of my automatic rope-centering device I am enabled to eliminate the manual guiding both of the hoisting rope and the cargo or articles during their hoisting, as well as eliminating or minimizing to a considerable degree the swinging of the gaff or boom after the articles are clear of the hatchway to be lowered for unloading. My invention is equally useful in handling cargo from a side port as well as from a hatchway through the deck.

Also, I am enabled by my present method to largely or entirely eliminate the former manual moving b workmen of a hoisting net filled with articles or a large crate or box from a position underneath the deck and remote from the hatchway to alignment with the hatchway.

This is a most important feature and effects a great increase in speed and facility of handling the cargo as well as saving arduous labor of a plurality of stevedores and skilled workmen.

In carrying out my present invention, I equip the lowermost combing of a hatchway, through which articles are to be hoisted, with rollers arranged so that the hoisting rope may bear against the same from any direction, either widthwise or lengthwise of the hatchway of the vessel and,

- hence, to permit the hoisting rope to be attached 3 to the articles to be lifted at a point remote from the hatchway underneath the deck, the first hoisting action thereby drawing the net, crate, or box toward the hatchway without manual assistance. My method thus automatically guides the load from its remote position underneath the deck to hatch-aligning position, the load being, furthermore, accurately spotted centrally of the hatchway by my novel rope-guiding apparatus on the top of the hatch combing. Thereupon, the continued travel of the hoisting rope automatically centers the load, and when the load approaches the top of the hatchway where my ropeguiding apparatus is fitted, the apparatus is automatically released and the hatchway cleared for continued travel upwardly of the load.

Furthermore, by means of my rope-centering device, the hoisting boom or gaff can be set at a considerable angle from the hatchway instead'oi being in alignment directly over the same and, hence, as the loadclears the hatchway it will automatically swing laterally to a position underneath the sheave or pulleyon the hoisting boom or gaff and in alignment for the unloading and spotting of the load. Thus, the constant shifting back or'forth from hatch-alignment to unloading position is wholly or largely saved, and the facility and speed of operation is greatly increased as well as eliminating largely or wholly the necessity of manning the guy ropes to swing either-the boom or gaff, or the load itself, into unloading position.

A further feature of my present invention is an apparatus to take advantage of the normal swinging of the rope-suspended article, and to catch, hold, and release the article considerably beyond the spotwhere'the article would ordinarily be released. This feature is of very general usefulness, being suitable to cooperate with prior hoisting apparatus, as well as with my present novel and improved devices.

l Thus; with my cooperating tripping and spotting apparatus, an article when hoisted up from the hatchway sufiiciently high to clear the hatch combing, and with the gaff or boom from which the hoisting pulley leads at a substantial angle from the hatchway, the normal swinging of the load at the end of the hoisting rope can be advantageously employed to spot the load at nearly twice the distance of the peak of the boom or gaff from which the hoisting rope is suspended and to catch the load on its extreme limit of its swing to thereupon load and release it at a predetermined spot, as on the adjoining dock, lighter, or other unloading support.

I have discovered that by my present invention, wherein the hoisting rope is led at an angle laterally and for a considerable distance off center from the hatchway, that as the hoisting rope and the load being lifted come up through the hatchway, strike the unlatching lever to release the center guide spanning the hatchway, thereupon the continued upward movement of the load, because of its normal inertia against move ment from the line of travel caused by the vertical hoisting through my center guiding members,-

the center guiding elements have been released 4 and tossed out of the way of the oncoming load, is most important and greatly facilitates the speed of operation and usefulness of my unloading apparatus.

Further important features, advantages, and novel combinations of elements will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

Referring to the drawings illustrating preferred apparatus for carrying out my novel method:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view illustrating my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the facility for handling heavy articles within the hold of a vessel with my rope-guiding apparatus in operative position;

Fig. 3 is illustrative of a further handling operation within the vessels hold;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating further handling steps;

Fig. 5 illustrates a typical unloading hoisting action, centering and guiding the load being hoisted by my novel rope-guiding device;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view partly in crosssection showing the automatic release and removal of the rope-centering and guiding apparatus during the continuous hoisting operation;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical view partly in cross-section showing the rope-guiding and automatic releasing trigger with a slightly modified construction;

Fig. 8 is a plan view also in enlarged scale corresponding to that of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of my novel load-catching and receiving device for receiving the load on a dock, lighter, or other support; 7

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of the automatic load-catching and release;

Fig. 11 is a front elevational view of the device of Figs. 9 and 10; V

Fig. 12 is an enlarged plan view of the ropeguiding elements in disassembled position;

Fig. 13 being a corresponding side elevational view partly in cross-section, and

Fig. 14 being a front elevational view of the rope guide. 7

As illustrated in the drawings, I have shown my rope-guiding apparatus pivoted directly on the combing or hatchway of a vessel, but I contemplate also providing a unitary framework to iit over a considerable range of different dimensions of hatchways or combings with my apparatus pivoted directly to such framework so that the same can be shifted from one hatchway to another during loading or unloading or from one vessel to another.

Referring to the figures, l designates. the

hull of a vessel having a deck 2, a floor 3 in.

through the hatchway 5 and may engage a selective one of the rollers [0 during the loading, unloading, and handling of the cargo within the ho d below the deck.

.5 My novel rope-guiding apparatus, as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, is attached directly to the sides of the combing 6 of the hatchway. This apparatus comprises a pair of cooperating arms, each being of L-shaped formation and having the longer portion 20 of sufficient length to span the width of the hatchway to which they are attached, with the shorter arm 2| of each being pivotally secured to brackets 2222 by the pivot pins 24 on the opposite sides of the hatchway 6, as best shown in Fig. 6. A reinforcing rib element 25 is welded or integral with each arm to afford strength and rigidity. Suitable plates of rubber or the like 26-26 are fitted on the deck 2 in position to permit the arms to rest thereon and to take up the shock when these arms are unlatched, released, or thrown outwardly during the upward travel of the rope l and the attached load as the same passes through the hatchway.

A U-shaped guard, rod, or the like 21-21 is also preferably fitted substantially as shown in the figures. When the guide arms 2|] are swung on their pivots, they are of sufiicient length to overlap and to carry interlocking rope-guiding elements therebetween. One of the arms is slotted or recessed at its end while the cooperating opposite arm is arranged to fit within said recess, said arms being pivoted diametrically opposite on the sides of the combing and an alignment with each other, as will be appreciated.

These L-shaped arms with the pivot well below the top of the combing provide sufficient leverage for the arms resting on top of the combing to afford rigidity to same against side thrust or other strains.

I provide means to automatically lock these two end portions when they are assembled over the middle of the hatchway and means to automatically unlock and release the same when the hoisting rope, led through appropriate guiding elements, in the interlocking ends of these cooperating arms has lifted the load up to the hatchway. and the open top of the l'1atchway must be cleared to hoist the load therethrough.

For this purpose, I provide a rope-guiding hub, as best shown in detail in Figs. 12, 13, and 14, said hub being formed in two interlocking elements and bolted respectively to the ends of the opposite arms 20.

As shown in Figs. 12 and 13, a slotted plate 30 is formed with an upstanding rope-engaging flange 3| of U-shaped contour, the plate 30 being arranged to be bolted through openings 32, 32 to the end of the correspondingly slotted arm, shown in the drawings as the right-hand arm of Figsl to 6. To the opposite arm is the cooperating rope-engaging flange 33 and its attached plate 34, having openings 36-46 so that the same may be bolted to the extending part of the opposite arm 20, viz., the left, as shown in said figures.

Thus, when the oppositely pivoted arms 20 are rocked on their respective pivots 24 to position said arms across the open top of the hatchway 5, the respective rope-engaging hub elements 3| and 33 are bolted together in interlocked position, the same being spaced to provide a rounded opening through which the hoisting rope l5 will travel.

To hold the arms in thus interengaged position, I provide a latch pivoted at 6 'I and having a hook portion 40 and a tail portion 4|, the latter extending oppositely to be struck by a releasing ball 44 carried on the hoisting rope l5 and, thus, retract the hook 40 from its locking engagement with the opposite arm. As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, this locking engagement is effected on a hooked portion 45 by the hook 40' catching over the hook portion 45 of the opposite arm, a spring 45 being provided to normally force the hooked end of the latch into this engagement. The top surface of the hooked end 40 is bevelled, as shown at 48, and in position to be struck by" the hook 45 as the latter descends downwardly, snapping back the latch and permitting it to return to locking engagement, the arm at the right being lowered first and within the arm at the left, viewing the drawings, thereafter being lowered into position and, thus, automatically locked.

The tail end 4|, viz., the releasing element of the latch, is forked so as to straddle the hoisting rope l5 and thus further insure the tripping action of the latch during the raising of the rope and the engagement of the tripping block 44 to release the latch and permit the continued rising action of the hoisting rope to lift the arms 2D--2|l and throw them backwardly out of the way of the oncoming load being hoisted through the hatchway.

I have illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 in considerable enlarged detail the rope-engaging hub construction and latching device in combination with the slightly modified form of arm.

Referring, accordingly, to Figs. 7 and 8, the pivoted arms are of considerable width to give added strength to the side thrust of the hoisting rope where heavy loads are being handled, and for this purpose the load-carrying L-shaped arm is designated at 50 and the opposite arm at 5|, Figs. 7 and 8. These arms have a pair of spaced reinforcing ribs 52--52 and 53-53, the arms and reinforcing ribs having a plurality of open areas to save material and weight, as illustrated. Each of these arms 50 and 5| have their shorter L- shaped portion carrying a welded or tubular element 54 fitted around a shaft 55, which shaft extends lengthwise of the width of the arms and is held in suitable bearings 5656 formed on a bracket 51 secured to the hatchway combing 6.

As previously noted, this pivotal construction may be attached to the unitary framework which is intended for and adapted to fit over a hatchway for ready attachment to and removal therefrom. In this latter instance, the brackets 51 would be secured to the frame element, which frame could be of considerably greater area than that of the hatchway combing over which it is assembled.

In the form shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the arm with the forked ends carrying the U-shaped hub 3| is shown as attached to the arm 59, which arm is lowered first in position over the hatchway and thereafter the arm 5| carrying the cooperating rope-engaging flange 33 is lowered in position.

In this construction, I prefer to use a pair of hooks 40 for each latch, each engaging a plate 6|] extending from the spaced rib 52 on the arm 5|, thus affording a latch-engaging construction straddling the rib-engaging hub and giving a quick and even release when the tripping block 44 strikes the forked tail 4| of the latch. In the modified form of Figs. '7 and 8, the pair of tripping latches and the forked tail 4| are adjustably secured together to thus predetermine the time of releasing of each latch 43 on the arm 52 from locking engagement of the plates 6il6|l on the arm 5|.

As shown in Fig. 8, this adjustable arrangement comprises a central hub 66 formed integral with the spaced tripping tail members ib-4| and mounted loosely on a shaft 61, which shaft is fitted in bearings 58-433 on the flange til carrying the U-shaped element 3|, as best shown in Fig. 1.2. A set of bolts Sit-59 extending through radially positioned bored openings through flanges ME -Hi are keyed or otherwise secured on the shaft 6'! for angular adjustment between the trigger portion 49 and the tail portion ll of the latch, as best shown in Fig. 7. With the arms in outward position, the first arm 58 is lowered, engaging the hoisting rope I5 in the U-shaped hub member 3| and, thereafter, the opposite arm 5| is lowered, the cooperating rope-engaging hub portion 33 sliding in between the U-shaped arms of the hub 3| and thus holding the rope IS in centered position relatively with the hatch.

The lowering of the arm 5| automatically engages the latches by snapping back the top of each trigger 48, the end of the plate 69 sliding on the bevelled face 48 (see Fig. '7) and thus moving the trigger backwardly against the tension of the spring until the arm 5| is seated in position; whereupon the two arms are thus locked until tripped by the block 44, being lifted by the hoisting rope 53 against the spaced tails 4| which rock the trigger in the reverse direction, releasing the plate 69 and holding the plate thus released until the block 44 lifts both arms upwardly and throws them out of the way of the oncoming load.

' While I prefer to utilize a mechanical latching and unlatching arrangement as above de-' scribed, I also contemplate employing an electrical locking and releasing arrangement. For this purpose, a magnetic clutch or look would automatically lock the two arms in lowered position and the tripping block or its equivalent could be utilized to de-ene'rgize the clutch and thus release the rope-guiding arms.

The. hoisting rope I5 is provided with a hook, fastening shackle or the like 75 at its free end and is led upwardly through a sheave l6 swung near the end of a gaif or boom l'l which extends from a mast 1B, the hoisting rope l5 being led through a guide block 19 to a winch 88, where the rope is wound or unwound by the operator, the winch being operated by steam or electrical power in any usual manner. The gaff l1 and block 19 are pivotally mounted on a slide 8| to be hoisted at a convenient or desired distance on the mast 78 by suitable halyards (not shown) and is, furthermore, held in desired adjusted position by guy ropes fitted at the peak of the gaff, as indicated at 82, 83, and 84, Fig. 1.

For unloading cargo, the hoisting rope i5 is lowered into the hold, the arm 25 rocked on its pivot over the open top of the hatchway and the cooperating arm 2| is then rocked over with the U-shaped portion 3| catching and engaging the hoisting 'rope and, thereupon, the cooperating arm 2| is rocked into position with the curved hub portion 33 fitted within the U-shaped arms of the hub 3| and the trigger will lock the two arms in position, as explained.

Thereupon, referring to Fig. 1 for example, a hook 15 may be led at either side remote from the hatchway and engage a sling indicated at 9i) around a crate or the like iii, the rope l5 being readily led to a remote distance disaligned from the hatchway for this purpose, passing over the rollers l0; whereupon the hoisting Winch 80 is actuated and the crate or article 9| pulled away from its position in the hold and it will swing from the centering and guiding devices 3| and 33.

The load may be dropped down to the floor 3, if desired, to steady and center it or it may be drawn directly upward by the continued hoisting of the rope it, the same swinging from its centering position over the hatchway, which will shortly steady the article 9| andwill automatically guide the same upwardly through the center of the hatchway, the tripping block 44 then trip ping the latch and the continued upward movement of the hoisting rope lifting the load clear of the hatchway.

I find that owing to natural inertia during flight and a quick lifting of the load 9|, the load will be carried up vertically through the hatchway even though, the hoisting rope I5 is at an angle, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus a load will automatically clear the hatchway and the peak of the gaff if can be permanently positioned at considerable angle so as to automatically effect a swinging of the load 9| from position A to position B, Fig. 1, without manipulating the ropes 83 and 84 and, hence, saving operators in attendance at these guy ropes; whereupon the operator at the winch 8i! quickly releases the hoisting rope 55 when the load has swung to its desired position to be spotted and it is lowered, as shown at B in Fig. 1.

I consider that this feature is of very great importance as it permits high speed of operation in the unloading of cargo, the heavier the load the greater the inertia during its flight travel to insure the lifting of the load above the hatchway before the load starts to swing, even with the hoisting rope being led at a considerable angle to the peak of the gall? which is positioned for spotting the load on the deck, lighter, or wharf at a considerable distance from the hatchway.

This entire advantage is obtained by my novel centering and guiding devices which automatically guide the load from the center of the hatchway and permit a quick and speedy hoisting, unlatching, and removing of the centering guide as a continuous operation. My centering and guiding devices can also be left in positiondur ing transfer of the load within the hold, as illustrated generally in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 and 5, thus carrying out the operation of handling cargo underneath the deck, as described and claimed in my prior and copending application.

I provide a plurality of eye-bolts or the like, as indicated, underneath the deck at 9595 and in the sides of the ship, as shown at 96, into a selective one of which eye-bolts the hook 15 may be fitted, as shown for example in Fig. 4. Thereupon a snatch block lllll having a hook |0| is fitted on the rope l5 and the hook fitted into a sling on a crate which, for illustrative purposes, is shown stacked on a pile on the right-hand side of Fig. 4. Thereupon, a slight hoisting action on the rope l5 lifts the sling 90 and the article'enclosed by it, freeing it from the spotted position, and it will travel on the block I00 to a position as shown between the roller l0 and the hook to which the end of the rope is secured. Before fitting on the snatch block I00, the block 44 should be moved along the rope If) so that, if desired, the block 44 can be left on the rope and hoisted up through the hatchway, the block 44 acting as a tripping means in such case, as indicated at Figs. 5 and 6;, or'the snatch block can be detached from the rope, in which case the tripping block 44 will slide downwardly in direct engagement with the eye splice attached to the hook 15.

From the position of the load shown in Fig. 4, a lowering of the rope would spot the load on the floor 3 substantially as illustrated in Fig. 5; whereupon the hook I5 is detached from the eyebolt 95 and fitted into the sling 90 and the hoisting operation through the hatchway performed. Various operations of handling the load for either unloading or stowing can also be performed within the hold with my centering device in position at the top of the hatchway.

Thus, for example, referring to Fig. 2, after an article has been lowered through the hatchway as shown, the snatch block I can be fitted onto the hoisting rope with its hook IOI into a selective eye-bolt 95, and thereupon the hoisting ac tion on the rope will carry the load to the position desired, and the same can be swung and stowed into dotted line position as indicated at C on top of the previously stowed cargo.

In Fig. 3, a further illustrative method of handling cargo within the hold is shown, wherein the hook I is fitted in one of the side bolts 96 and the snatch block I00 on the rope I5 is employed, whereby the hoisting of the rope I5 an appropriate distance will lift the load 9| and move the same substantially from the full-line position shown in Fig. 3 to the dotted line position, the load elfecting a gravity travel directly into the stowed portion with very slight or no manipulation by attendants.

Referring to Figs. 9, 10, and 11, I have illustrated a novel and automatic load-catching apparatus to spot and release the load when it is swung from the gaff II, permitting the load to be swung to its extreme limit after hoisting out of the hatchway, and thereupon be caught and spotted as on the wharf I05, illustrated in Fig. 1. For this purpose I have devised a framework comprising a pair of angularly positioned U-shaped members I I0 and I I 2 angularly positioned with respect to each other, and pivotally mounted at I I5-I I5 at each side of the width of the frame, said pivotal mounting being in quadrants II6-II6 extending upwardly at opposite edges of a base H8, which latter can be secured in position or may be of sufficient weight to eifect the tripping and holding operation when the load 9| is swung thereover.

If desired, a brace H9 can be applied to each U-shaped frame near its end, and along the top of the frame H0 I may supply a roller I to facilitate the actuation of the device, the roller I20 being intended to be struck by the swinging of the load 90 and rocking the arms I I0 and H2 on their respective pivots. Secured to the outside of each arm H2 by a strap I2I is a pivoted latch I22, said latch being normally impelled by a spring I23 to rock said latch on its pivot I24 and to engage the teeth of a ratchet I25 on the top of each quadrant, said spring I23 bearing between a fixed lug on the strap I2I and adapted to rock the latch on the pivot as shown, or in any other convenient manner.

Thus the load 9I swinging to the position in which my novel catching and holding apparatus is fixed, which would be in line with the swing of the load and on the spot desired for unloading, would strike the upstanding U-shaped frame I I0, rock it on its pivot, and the lower frame portion H2 would be swung upwardly to dotted-line engage the teeth in the ratchet I 25 and hold the arm H2 in upright position, preventing the load from swinging backwardly. The U-frame H0 when in depressed position, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 10, the load will slide over the roller I20 and onto a set of gravity rollers, as desired, and as indicated at I30.

In order to quickly release the latch I22 and reset the U-shaped frame into receiving position, I provide a foot treadle I3I pivoted at I32 near the base of each quadrant I I6, said treadles having a foot-receiving portion I33 in convenient reach of the operator, and at its other end is pivoted at I35 to an upwardly extending rod I36, which may pass through a guiding strap I37 near the top of the quadrant, and with a laterally extending member I38 to lift the latch I22 from on gagement with the teeth in the rack I25 when the operator steps on the foot treadle I33; whereupon the frame is returned to full-line position shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11 and is set to rock and catch the next load swung thereover.

I claim:

1. Centering and guiding apparatus for a cargo-hoisting rope of the kind described in association with a hatchway, comprising a pair of pivoted cooperating arms having overlapping portions to encircle said rope, means to interlock said arms into rope centering and guiding position relatively to the hatchway, and means actuated by the hoisting rope to automatically unlock said arms and remove the same to inoperative position clear of said hatchway opening.

2. A rope-centering and guiding device for cargo handling through an open hatchway, comprising a pair of cooperating arms, each having one end pivoted adjacent the edge of said hatchway, and the opposite ends adapted to overlap adjacent the center of said hatchway, forming rope-guiding means at the overlapped end portions, means to automatically lock said overlapped ends when in rope-centering position, and means automatically actuated by the hoisting rope to release said lock and move both said arms on their respective pivots into inoperative position to clear the hatchway opening.

3. Rope-guiding apparatus of the kind described for cargo-handling through a hatchway, comprising a U-shaped rope-engaging member, a cooperating member having rope-engaging means to fit within the open end of said U- shaped member and guide a rope therebetween,

a lock to hold said rope-engaging members in assembled position, and a block carried by the rope to automatically trip said lock and release and remove the rope-engaging members from obstructing position across said hatchway.

GILCHRIST L. HURS'I.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Number Name Date 360,164 Lavery Mar. 29, 1887 819,445 Morris May 1, 1906 1,780,322 Tsuji Nov. 4, 1930 1,901,360 Snow Mar. 14, 1933 1,939,037 Bogert Dec. 12, 1933 2,332,331 Malling Oct. 19, 1943 position, Fig. 10; whereupon the latch I22 would 

